As decision day for the controversial Ripon Cathedral annexe planning application approaches, more than 40 ‘Save our Trees’ campaigners held a peaceful protest march through the city today (Saturday)

The march, attended by some of the 2,300 people who have signed the petition raised by Ripon resident and campaigner Jenni Holman, started at 12 noon on Minster Gardens, where 11 mature trees, including a 200-year-old beech of veteran status, are threatened by the proposed development on the green open space.

The park, which is within the Ripon Conservation area, is  currently owned and maintained by North Yorkshire Council.

The cathedral’s £8 million plan is for a two-storey standalone building, that would include an 80-seat refectory, gift shop, song school, accessible toilets and additional storage space.

Ms Holman, told the Stray Ferret:

“We reiterate, as we have done throughout our year-long campaign, that we want the cathedral to thrive and have the facilities that it needs.

“However, the proposed location of the annexe on a precious green open space that has been enjoyed by the people of Ripon and visitors to the city for two centuries, is not acceptable and we cannot support an application that involves cutting down healthy trees and the loss of green space.”

This computer generated image shows the proposed annexe located on the gardens to the north of the cathedral. Picture Ripon Cathedral Renewed

The dean and chapter have previously said that in compensation for the lost trees, it will plant 21 in the vicinity of the cathedral and a further 300 on land ‘near Studley’ but campaigner Brian McHugh, who has raised concerns about this aspect of the proposed development, said:

“The mitigation strategy of the off site planting 4 miles outside Ripon, is a central pillar to the Cathedral’s argument. And it needs to be a strategy that can be scrutinised and evaluated by the planning committee in making their decision. Despite publicly repeating 300 trees in their literature, the Cathedral now say that this ‘is a private matter between the Cathedral and the landowner.

“How can the planning committee ensure that the mitigation strategy meets the objectives, if they are being denied access to the agreement between the parties?”

The protestors handed out leaflets to shoppers and visitors, as they marched from Minster Gardens along Kirkgate and on to Market Square

Mr McHugh, added:

“We do not want Ripon to become a city synonymous with tree-felling. We do not want Ripon to join the list of Sheffield, Plymouth, Devon, Windermere or Sycamore Gap, where the destruction of nature has hit national news headlines.”

Woodland Trust Supports campaign

Statutory consultee The Woodland Trust has formally objected to the planning application, along with other consultees  Ripon City Council and Ripon Civic Society.

,Jack Taylor, the trust’s lead campaigner for woods under threat, said in a statement:

“The proposed loss of trees within Ripon Cathedral’s Minster Gardens is of grave concern to the Woodland Trust. An irreplaceable veteran beech tree and a number of mature and notable trees would be lost to development on this site.

“Such trees play a vital role in the urban environment, enhancing aesthetic appeal, acting as carbon sinks, providing shade, improving air quality, and supporting local biodiversity. Their loss not only alters the landscape but also has far-reaching environmental and social implications.”

He added:

“The loss of veteran, notable and mature trees is entirely unacceptable and contrary to national planning policies designed to protect these important habitats. We ask that the developers work with North Yorkshire  Council and the local community to safeguard these magnificent urban trees and ensure that Ripon’s Minster Gardens remain vibrant, resilient, and ecologically rich.”

The campaigners stood outside the town hall to draw attention to the fact that Ripon City Council objects to the annexe plan.

The cathedral’s consultation

On Thursday,  the cathedral, whose plans are supported by Historic England, the cathedral’s independent fabric advisory committee, the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and Ripon Together, held the last of 22 drop-in sessions as part of a public consultation programme which began in February.

The programme was launched after the Cathedral announced that it had sought and received permission from North Yorkshire Council to pause the annexe planning application for three months.

Prior to the first drop-in session, a spokesperson for Dean John Dobson and the cathedral chapter, said:

“It is hoped that a pause in the planning application to allow for additional consultation will prompt a genuine exchange of views, the sharing of informed ideas and the constructive discussion of concerns raised.”

The Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson

In a subsequent interview with the dean published by the Stray Ferret on March 3, he said:

“The purpose of the pause — and it may be a vain attempt — is an attempt on our part to enable people to hear the facts as we in the cathedral perceive them, i.e. these are the actual proposals, this is where we are proposing to build, these are the trees that would be affected by it, this would be the mitigation plan.

“Many people think this is a fantastic scheme that would enhance the cathedral, that would enhance what could be a cathedral quarter and would enhance the city. It would have economic benefits and it would have an aesthetic benefit. Many people believe that.”

Dean John, added:

“We genuinely want to hear what people think. If people of Ripon are really against this, well, say so. But actually, are they? I’m not convinced we know whether they are or not. Many haven’t engaged with the precise proposal.”

“But we haven’t fallen out. It’s perfectly reasonable for people to take a contrary view. What isn’t reasonable is for people to just make things up to create an alternative narrative. That I think is hugely disappointing and detrimental.”

“Well, I’m hopeful. It seems to me the arguments are compelling; the benefits are overwhelming. But I do accept some people are very unhappy about it. The question is: how many, and why, and how we address that. But we cannot carry on just looking at more and more options.”

The Stray Ferret approached the cathedral regarding views expressed by Mr McHugh about the tree mitigation strategy, but no response was received at the time of publication.

Main image: ‘Save our trees’ campaigners pictured on Minster Gardens at lunchtime today, before marching to the city centre.

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In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we look at Ripon Cathedral’s controversial planning application for a £6 million development.

What a difference a year makes for Ripon Cathedral.

In 2022, the iconic grade I listed building was both the focus point and venue for numerous events to celebrate the 1,350th anniversary of its foundation.

Its crypt dating back to 672 AD means that Wilfrid’s creation contains the oldest surviving structure of any cathedral in England.

In June 2022, the Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, hosted North Yorkshire’s civic service of celebration for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and just 13 weeks later, was a fitting place for members of the community to grieve Her Late Majesty’s death.

The Dean of Ripon the Very Revd John Dobson, greeted visitors and civic guests who attended the Platinum Jubilee service for North Yorkshire held at the cathedral

At Easter 1985, Queen Elizabeth distributed Maundy money to Ripon citizens and her visit was remembered in fine style 37 years later as the cathedral celebrated its Royal connection.

Visitor figures for the ‘Cathedral of the Dales’ rose to a record 100,000 and included in that number were regular churchgoers, tourists, pilgrims and people who came to worship and/or attend events ranging from arts displays and exhibitions, to classical concerts, lectures and even a silent disco.

After such a successful year, in which the cathedral was undeniably the city’s top attraction, all it needed to do to bring more people through its doors, was to provide them with the 21st century facilities that the building lacks.

That would see the end of portable toilets on its piazza and remove the need to hire outside caterers for its hospitality events.

The proposed annex building plan includes a Changing Places toilet to increase accessibility to the cathedral for people with limited mobility. The public toilets currently on Minster Gardens (pictured above) would be demolished.

What happened next?

Last December, the Dean and Chapter’s plans to extend and enhance facilities for users of the building, were submitted nine days before Christmas to the then Harrogate Borough Council.

Since being open to public scrutiny in January, when the application was validated, the annex plan has been the subject of heated debate and acrimonious claims and counter claims on social media.

Among the hundreds of supporting and explanatory documents that could be seen on the Council planning portal, was details of a business  plan centred on an 80-seat refectory, large enough to cater for visitors arriving in coach parties throughout the day.

The Cathedral Choir, with director of Music Dr Ronny Krippner (pictured left), is among the best in the country

Included in the proposed two-storey 1,000 square metres annex is a song school for the cathedral’s top-class choristers, a gift shop, toilets, and additional storage space for chairs and other equipment,

The planning application documents, including letters of support and objection could be found from January 20 on the Harrogate Borough Council planning portal, which subsequently became the North Yorkshire Council portal in April, when Harrogate council was abolished and subsumed into the new unitary authority.

The veteran beech has become the emblem of the protestors’ campaign

The Stray Ferret was first to report that, to make way for the annex, 11 mature trees, including a beech with veteran status, would need to be felled.

The objections begin

Among the early objectors to the scheme, were the planning authority’s own senior officers, including the ecologist and arboriculturist, who pointed out that removal of a veteran tree considered to be ‘irreplaceable’ should be resisted and planning permission only allowed if no other options are open to the applicant.

Objections from Statutory consultees the Woodland Trust and the Yorkshire Gardens Trust followed, but then came a letter of support from Historic England – the government’s expert  adviser on the historic environment.

Its conclusion on the suitability of the proposed siting of the  building, was at odds with the response from local heritage watchdog, Ripon Civic Society.

Following the cathedral’s pre-application presentation to Ripon City Council in December 2022, ten of its 12 members voted to support the ‘general principle’ of the plan, while saying it would comment further on the proposal, once detailed plans had been seen.

In February, owners of hospitality businesses in Kirkgate, attended a city council meeting to tell members that the proposed refectory would ‘funnel’ trade away from them and straight into the annex building.

The cathedral, has claimed from the outset that an uplift of up to 50% more footfall generated by the new development would be beneficial for all of the city’s businesses.

The Dean, who was at the council meeting, along with members of the cathedral chapter, told traders that they had no reason for ‘anxiety’ but a paragraph in the design and access document prepared on behalf of the cathedral said, in black and white:

“Cathedral Refectory: for this to be a financially viable part of the cathedral business plan it needs to be a certain size, to accommodate a coach party, and be very close to the cathedral. This is required to prevent visitors from drifting away from the cathedral and using the various cafés in the city.”

Through the words of the cathedral’s own adviser, the fears of traders were confirmed as being correct and, along with the threat of lost trees, a two-pronged campaign opposing the annex plans gained momentum.

Traders and tree campaigners raise objections

Since April, Ripon resident Jenni Holman, has been raising a petition to save the trees and green space of Minster Gardens.

Her paper petition, supplied in 20 tranches to North Yorkshire planners had, before the Christmas holiday, collected 2078 signatures including new signatories who gathered with dozens of fellow objectors, in a peaceful protest under the bough of the beech that has become the emblem of their campaign.

Ripon City Council’s withdraws support

The growing number of protestors with fears for trade and trees, was not lost on Ripon City Council and at its December meeting, members voted narrowly by 4 votes to 3 to withdraw support for the annex plan and raise an objection to it.  The move came as a surprise to the Cathedral. 

The peaceful protest took place by the veteran beech

The ‘save our trees’ campaign and November 25 protest, which has received support from the Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, attracted wide media coverage, including items broadcast by Yorkshire’s Calendar News and Tyne Tees news and BBC Radio North Yorkshire.

A Christmas break

In the season of goodwill on earth and peace to all men, women and children, the cathedral and its burgeoning choir, painstakingly built by its highly-accomplished director of music, Dr Ronny Krippner, has been at the centre of much-loved and very well-attended traditional Christmas services.

But come the New Year, when those in favour and opposed to the planning application have taken down their festival decorations, the battle for hearts and minds will rage on – much of it through posts on social media.

The planning application will be considered by the Skipton and Ripon Constituency Planning Committee at a meeting to be held in Ripon, because of the strong local interest in it.

With the committee’s next meeting due to be held in Skipton on January 16, the earliest date for consideration of the cathedral’s application would be February.

Main image: An aerial cgi, showing where the annex would sit in relation to the cathedral: Picture Ripon Cathedral Renewed.

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Ripon Cathedral’s plans for a £6 million annex on public open space to the north of the ancient grade I listed building have suffered a significant setback.

The city council, which a year ago voted to ‘support the general principle’ of the proposed development featuring a song school, refectory, shop, toilets and storage space, last night reversed that decision with a 4-3 vote against the scheme.

The ‘no’ vote, proposed by former Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin and seconded by Cllr Jackie Crozier, came at a full council meeting at which 10 members of the public voiced objections to the cathedral’s plans and nobody spoke in favour.

Loss of a veteran beech and other mature trees, along with concerns about the impact of the proposed development on hospitality and other businesses in the city, were the two main issues that prompted the council to withdraw its support and lodge an objection with North Yorkshire Council.

City councillors Andrew Williams and Barbara Brodigan, who sit on North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon planning committee which, in the New Year will have the final say on the application, did not take part in the debate or vote. They absented themselves from the meeting after listening to the points raised by members of the public

Save the trees campaigners pictured near the veteran beech during last month’s peaceful protest at Minster Gardens.

Among the speakers was Ripon resident Jenni Holman, who launched a petition in April aimed at saving the veteran beech and 10 other trees, which will be felled if the cathedral’s application is approved.

She told the meeting:

“The petition has gathered more than 2,000 signatures, with more coming each day.

“Those who have signed it do not object to the cathedral having the facilities that it needs to prosper, we are simply saying that Minster Gardens, which is a public park and oasis of green in the city, is the wrong place for this development.”

Kevin Hill, who co-owns and runs the Karma clothing and gift shop in Kirkgate, said:

“I came to a meeting here in February, where councillors voted to call for a retail impact assessment to be carried out, to find out how the annex development with its refectory and shop would affect local businesses.

“At the meeting we were told by the cathedral that there was no need for businesses to have any anxiety as their scheme would be beneficial to all of the city because of the additional footfall that would be generated.

“Months later and with no impact assessment carried out, traders found that the cathedral’s own design and access document said, for the cathedral refectory to be financially viable, it needs to be large enough to accommodate coach parties and very close to the cathedral, to ‘prevent visitors from drifting away from the cathedral and using various cafes in the city'”

Mr Hill added:

“So in effect, their stated strategy is to keep all the business for themselves and starve other cafes in the city. Quite frankly, this is a disgrace.”

The cathedral’s case

Though nobody at last night’s meeting spoke in support of the annex application, the cathedral has previously stated its case through a number of channels, including last December’s pre-application briefing for the city council; at its annual review meeting in September at the cathedral and through the  Ripon Cathedral Renewed pamphlet, 

With 100,000 visitors through its doors during 2022,  the cathedral lacks both an ability to offer its own hospitality facilities and provide accessible toilets for people with limited mobility.

Dean John Dobson and the cathedral chapter have emphasised an urgent need for action.

The cathedral has stated that there are exceptional reasons for felling the trees and in the Ripon Cathedral pamphlet produced in support of its planning application, said:

“All other potential locations and solutions have been considered over many years and have proven to be undeliverable.”

In compensation for the loss of the 11 trees, a new woodland area with 21 trees will be created within the vicinity of the cathedral and the annex. Dean John has also stated that 300 native trees will be planted on land near Studley.

The Stray Ferret will be publishing a further story including more views expressed at last night’s meeting and subsequently. The cathedral and chapter will have the opportunity to respond to the council’s decision.

Main image: This cgi provides an aerial perspective showing the proposed annex development. Picture: Ripon Cathedral Renewed

The Dean of Ripon has said plans to remove trees from Minster Gardens to make way for a new £6 million cathedral building presented a “moral dilemma”.

The Very Revd. John Dobson presented the cathedral’s annual review on Saturday.

It addressed plans to fell 11 trees, including a beech listed by the Woodland Trust as having veteran status, to create space for a two-storey building on the gardens to the north of the ancient building.

The proposed annex development, which includes a song school, refectory, accessible toilets, shop and additional storage space, is part of the Ripon Cathedral Renewed project which aims to safeguard the future of the cathedral.

The Dean said all possible options for the location of the annex had been considered.

In a leaflet given to parishioners and members of the public who attended on Saturday, Dean John said:

“We regret the need to fell 11 trees and are sympathetic to public concern. There is a moral dilemma though which requires balancing this with urgent needs and undeniable benefits.”

“Providing 21st century facilities is not only essential, but will help to attract more visitors to the cathedral and thereby to the city.”

He added:

“Ripon Cathedral attracts 100,000 visitors per year, in addition to pilgrims, worshippers and concert goers. Experts predict that this project will result in an increase in numbers of between 30% and 50% — good news for the local economy and local businesses.”

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The Dean acknowledged not everybody was in favour of the development and said:

“Some people here today will disagree with us about the felling of trees. We respect those people,  but we disagree with them.”

Jenni Holman, who has raised a petition signed by 1,400 people opposing the removal of trees to make way for the annex, said:

“The loss of mature trees and impact on the wildlife that depend upon them for habitat is totally unacceptable.

“This is not about a difference of opinions, it’s something that we say is just wrong.”

As part of its mitigation strategy, the cathedral proposes to plant 300 native trees on land near Studley, but fellow objector Pat Waterfall questioned:

“How will the planting of trees outside the city mitigate for the huge carbon footprint of the new building?

Campaigners who have raised a petition signed by about 500 people seeking to save an ‘irreplaceable’ veteran beech tree from being felled, gathered at Ripon’s Minster Gardens yesterday.

Their petition, which will be submitted to North Yorkshire Council, objects to Ripon Cathedral’s Ripon Cathedral Renewed planning application.

The application proposes erecting a two-storey building on Minster Gardens, which would require the loss of the tree – described as T14 –  and 10 other trees on site.

The petition states:

“We, the undersigned, do not approve of the felling of ancient trees on public land, to make way for the new build proposed by the cathedral. We believe there are alternative solutions, including the utilising of pre-existing buildings.”

The petition reflects concerns raised by statutory consultees including  Jack Taylor, the Woodland Trust’s lead campaigner for woods under threat and North Yorkshire Council’s principal ecologist, Dan McAndrew.

In his response to the planning application, which can be seen on the council planning portal, Mr Taylor said:

“This loss of a veteran tree is contrary to both local and national planning policy and this application should be refused in its current form.”

The veteran beech tree described as T14 in documents relating to the annex planning application.

He added:

“Veteran trees are irreplaceable habitats, once lost they are gone forever. Any development resulting in loss or deterioration of veteran trees should not be taken forward.

“The Woodland Trust objects to this application on the basis of loss of a veteran beech tree and the loss and potential deterioration of other notable trees that are also likely to hold considerable value now and in the future, ecologically and culturally.

“Therefore, we request that planning permission is not taken forward for this site unless the plans can be suitably altered to avoid the loss of the veteran tree and suitably protect both retained veteran and notable trees on site.”

Mr McAndrew said in his response:

“I object to this application in its current form because I do not accept that there is no possible alternative location or configuration of the layout of the proposed building, which could avoid the loss of the veteran beech tree, T14, which I view as an unnecessary loss of ‘irreplaceable habitat’.

“In my view, it ought to be possible for the applicant to devise a solution, involving the reconfiguration of the building or its location which would enable T14 to be retained.”

The National Planning Policy Framework identifies ancient and veteran trees as ‘irreplaceable habitat’. It states development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees) should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.

Petition organiser Jenni Holman (pictured above, front middle) said:

“The petition has been signed by local residents and some visitors to Ripon, who are totally opposed to felling of the veteran beech and other mature trees that play an essential role in the biodiversity of this area of the city.

“This is a lovely, peaceful open space and many of those that have signed find it inconceivable that this is even being contemplated.”

Fellow campaigner Pat Waterfall said:

“The loss of trees and this green space when other alternatives are available, is unacceptable.”

Response from Ripon Cathedral

A spokesperson for the Ripon Cathedral Renewed programme said:

“The planning application is going through its due process, as such we don’t respond to individual comments or objections during this process.

“What I can say is that we have investigated all available options within the cathedral estate, and none of the sites were suitable for the new building. This was the opinion of a range of external experts who specialise in heritage buildings and conservation as well as architects and project management experts. The needs of all internal and external users of the proposed new building cannot be met by using any other existing chapter property and all cathedral property is currently being used to its maximum capacity.

“As we’ve previously said, the building will be an asset to the people of the city, providing much needed facilities, including a safe space for our choristers to rehearse that is fully accessible, along with public toilet facilities (including a new Changing Places toilet, suitable for those who struggle to use standard accessible toilets).

“While we understand that some people may see the loss of 11 trees as too heavy a price to pay, the development will tidy up an unloved part of the city, increase the amount of public open space and enhance the existing much-valued memorial garden. The plans we’ve submitted also include the planting of 14 new trees around the cathedral, along with a further 300 trees on land made available by a supporter of the project and will see an overall increase in biodiversity across the area.”

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